Isa 28:1-13 | KingComments | STEP | Overview main part 1.3 – Isaiah 28-35 God and His people The third part of the first main part (Isaiah 1-35) contains Isaiah 28-35 and can be divided as follows: 1. Woe to Samaria (Isaiah 28) 2. Woe to Ariel (Isaiah 29) 3. Woe to the rebellious children (Isaiah 30) 4. Woe to those who seek the help of Egypt (Isaiah 31) 5. The kingdom of God (Isaiah 32) 6. Woe to the destroyer (Isaiah 33) 7. Judgment on the world and Edom (Isaiah 34) 8. Blessing for God’s people (Isaiah 35) Like the previous parts, Isaiah 1-12 and Isaiah 13-27, this part begins with the judgment of God and continues to the realm of peace. It also ends with a song of praise and an enumeration of the blessings of the realm of peace. Introduction on Isaiah 28 Isaiah 28-29 introduce a series of prophecies. Prophetically, we find here the two attacks ( ) of the Assyrians in the time of God’s indignation. After the final destruction of the Assyrians, the realm of peace is established. This prophetic part finds its historical pre-fulfillment in the fall of Samaria ( ). This chapter introduces a new series of woes. In Isaiah 5 we hear a “woe” six times, and now there are six more until Isaiah 33. The first five are to Israel and especially to Judah and Jerusalem. The sixth is about Assyria. The “woe” is pronounced over God’s people for forsaking the LORD. It is about the wicked of Israel. They put their trust in Egypt rather than in the LORD. In the end time they will put their trust in their king, the antichrist, and the covenant with the beast, the coming leader of the restored Roman Empire, the united states of Europe. This chapter can be divided into three sections: 1. , 2. , 3. . The first section describes the degenerated condition of the leaders in Israel at that time. In the first verses Samaria is openly denounced. As the capital of the ten tribes realm, the city is called “the proud crown”, on which drunken Ephraim boasts ( ). The inhabitants of Samaria live in luxurious complacency. The city, lying on a mountain and therefore seen as “at the head”, is compared to a “fading flower”, which gives the picture of glory that is decaying. The background of this prophecy is the pre-fulfillment when Samaria is besieged for three years and finally destroyed by the Assyrians ( ). They use the fertility of the valley, to which the city lies as a head ornament, to satisfy their own needs (cf. ). It makes them drunk and therefore insensitive to the word of God through His prophets. All this the LORD will strike with His judgment. Assyria will be the instrument through which the LORD will carry out the judgment. Assyria can be identified here with the coming king of the North, the alliance of North Arab countries ( ), islamic countries with the support of Gog (cf. ). Assyria is presented again as “mighty overflowing waters” ( ; ). Assyria will overrun Samaria and treed their pride underfoot ( ). He will do so with the greatest ease. The city will be judged as “the fading flower” ( ). It will be casually done with the speed with which one sees an early fig, plucks it, puts it in the mouth and swallows it, and it is no longer there. We would say: bite, swallow, disappeared. These verses are fulfilled in 622 BC. In this section we are warned not to place our trust in our prosperity. We may enjoy what the Lord gives us, but He requires us to seek first God’s kingdom and His righteousness ( ). After all, we have received it from Him. If we acknowledge that, we will want to honor Him with what He has entrusted to us. Then we will also give to the less fortunate. Prophetically, this attack ( ) points to the king of the North’s first attack on Israel ( ). By Ephraim is meant the north of Israel that is first attacked by this king. The ten tribes themselves will return after the appearance of the Lord ( ). From it is about the continuation of this attack on Jerusalem.

‏ Isaiah 28:1-13

Introduction

Overview main part 1.3 – Isaiah 28-35

God and His people

The third part of the first main part (Isaiah 1-35) contains Isaiah 28-35 and can be divided as follows:

1. Woe to Samaria (Isaiah 28)

2. Woe to Ariel (Isaiah 29)

3. Woe to the rebellious children (Isaiah 30)

4. Woe to those who seek the help of Egypt (Isaiah 31)

5. The kingdom of God (Isaiah 32)

6. Woe to the destroyer (Isaiah 33)

7. Judgment on the world and Edom (Isaiah 34)

8. Blessing for God’s people (Isaiah 35)

Like the previous parts, Isaiah 1-12 and Isaiah 13-27, this part begins with the judgment of God and continues to the realm of peace. It also ends with a song of praise and an enumeration of the blessings of the realm of peace.

Introduction on Isaiah 28

Isaiah 28-29 introduce a series of prophecies. Prophetically, we find here the two attacks (Dan 11:39-44) of the Assyrians in the time of God’s indignation. After the final destruction of the Assyrians, the realm of peace is established.

This prophetic part finds its historical pre-fulfillment in the fall of Samaria (2Kgs 17:1-5 ; 22-23).

Woe to Samaria

This chapter introduces a new series of woes. In Isaiah 5 we hear a “woe” six times, and now there are six more until Isaiah 33. The first five are to Israel and especially to Judah and Jerusalem. The sixth is about Assyria. The “woe” is pronounced over God’s people for forsaking the LORD. It is about the wicked of Israel. They put their trust in Egypt rather than in the LORD. In the end time they will put their trust in their king, the antichrist, and the covenant with the beast, the coming leader of the restored Roman Empire, the united states of Europe.

This chapter can be divided into three sections:

1. Isa 28:1-13,

2. Isa 28:14-22,

3. Isa 28:23-29.

The first section describes the degenerated condition of the leaders in Israel at that time. In the first verses Samaria is openly denounced. As the capital of the ten tribes realm, the city is called “the proud crown”, on which drunken Ephraim boasts (Isa 28:1). The inhabitants of Samaria live in luxurious complacency. The city, lying on a mountain and therefore seen as “at the head”, is compared to a “fading flower”, which gives the picture of glory that is decaying. The background of this prophecy is the pre-fulfillment when Samaria is besieged for three years and finally destroyed by the Assyrians (2Kgs 17:5).

They use the fertility of the valley, to which the city lies as a head ornament, to satisfy their own needs (cf. Amos 4:1). It makes them drunk and therefore insensitive to the word of God through His prophets. All this the LORD will strike with His judgment. Assyria will be the instrument through which the LORD will carry out the judgment. Assyria can be identified here with the coming king of the North, the alliance of North Arab countries (Psa 83:5-8), islamic countries with the support of Gog (cf. Dan 8:24). Assyria is presented again as “mighty overflowing waters” (Isa 28:2; Isa 8:7).

Assyria will overrun Samaria and treed their pride underfoot (Isa 28:3). He will do so with the greatest ease. The city will be judged as “the fading flower” (Isa 28:4). It will be casually done with the speed with which one sees an early fig, plucks it, puts it in the mouth and swallows it, and it is no longer there. We would say: bite, swallow, disappeared. These verses are fulfilled in 622 BC.

In this section we are warned not to place our trust in our prosperity. We may enjoy what the Lord gives us, but He requires us to seek first God’s kingdom and His righteousness (Mt 6:33). After all, we have received it from Him. If we acknowledge that, we will want to honor Him with what He has entrusted to us. Then we will also give to the less fortunate.

Prophetically, this attack (Isa 28:1-6) points to the king of the North’s first attack on Israel (Dan 11:41). By Ephraim is meant the north of Israel that is first attacked by this king. The ten tribes themselves will return after the appearance of the Lord (Mt 24:29-31). From Isa 28:7 it is about the continuation of this attack on Jerusalem.

Encouragement for the Faithful

Here we go to the future, indicated by the expression “in that day” (Isa 28:5). The prophet suddenly moves us to the end time. The threat to the apostates is again followed by the encouragement for the faithful, “the remnant of His people”, for whom the LORD is ever mindful. He will be for them “a beautiful crown and a glorious diadem”. This is a clear and telling contrast with the “proud crown” that Samaria is at the moment of the prophecy of Isaiah and which turns out to be a fading flower (Isa 28:1).

He will also spiritually support this remnant in making the right decisions in lawsuits (Isa 28:6). He will also give their warriors the strength to push the invaded enemy back to the gate and chase them out of the city. This support the remnant needs to rule with the LORD in the regeneration (Mt 19:28), which is in the realm of peace.

This encouragement also applies to all those who want to walk in the fear of the Lord today, the time when apostasy is growing rapidly. They receive wisdom and power from the Lord. We must see to it that we live righteously and gain victories in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Drunk Priests and Prophets

With “these also” (Isa 28:7) Isaiah now speaks about the southern realm of Judah and more specifically about the leaders of Jerusalem, those who have responsibility among the people (Isa 28:14). They are no better than those of Samaria and even have a greater responsibility and therefore a greater guilt. Isaiah speaks in stronger terms about their deceptive visions and court judgments. In strong words he denounces the debauched lifestyle they lead (Isa 28:8).

Even their tables, i.e. their altars, are terribly polluted by vomit – Hebrew: kotzen. It goes against the commandment of the priests: “Do not drink wine or strong drink” (Lev 10:9; Eze 44:21). Nor is it just an incident, but it has become a habit, a lifestyle. Prophetically, Jerusalem will simply fall as they are spiritually in an eclipse of God, intoxicated by the wine of the antichrist. Therefore, the king of the North will easily push on to Jerusalem.

We hear their bragging reaction in Isa 28:9-10. In Hebrew, these words sound like the chatter of drunken people: “ki tsav latsav, tsav latsav, kav lakav, kav lakav, ze’ir sham, ze’ir sham”. Prophetically, these priests and prophets of the Jews are drunk by drinking the wine of the antichrist, so that they lack true knowledge of God and they no longer have any spiritual discernment.

This drunken priest roars to his comrades about Isaiah: ‘Does he come here to lecture us who have knowledge?’ And the drunk prophet, who boasts of having received revelations himself, mockingly says to his feasting brothers about Isaiah: ‘Will he let us know what a revelation means? He certainly thinks we are a bunch of toddlers! He always makes his laws heard, each time he puts his demands on us. Sometimes he talks about this and sometimes he talks about something else. That man always has something to whine about!’

They believe that they are the enlightened intellectuals of their days, while they do not realize that they are indeed foolish and childish. That is why Isaiah speaks to them with clear and understandable language. He does indeed say what they are allowed to do and what not. They are a people of orders and lines, but they have them only in an external sense.

A Foreign Tongue as Judgment

Because they are not listening, Isaiah continues with an announcement of judgment. If they do not want to listen to the plain language of the prophet, but make scoffing remarks about it, they will be spoken to in an incomprehensible language. This will happen when the armies of Assyria, people who speak a foreign language, will invade the country (Isa 28:11).

Paul quotes Isa 28:11-12 in connection with the speaking in tongues or in languages of which the Corinthians are so proud. But he adds that the languages are a sign for the unbelievers (1Cor 14:21-22). Those unbelievers turn out to be the Israelites because Paul quotes this verse from Isaiah. With this he means that by this languages it is made clear to the unbelieving Israel that from now on the Lord can be praised in every human language and not only in holy Hebrew.

This means – albeit temporarily – the rejection of Israel as a special people of God. Speaking in tongues or in languages is a sign of judgment and not of blessing. That is the application of this verse. The explanation is that the Assyrians will come and that judgment will come through these people who cannot be understood because they have not listened to God’s prophets they have understood.

The wonder and sign of the tongues or the languages also happens on Pentecost in Jerusalem (Acts 2:5-12). There are many Jews from other countries present. Then they hear in their languages and even dialects about the great deeds of God. For the native Jews it seems to be language of the drunk. Only a small part of the mass, three thousand, comes to faith.

The tongues or the languages are a sign for the unbelieving Jews. It is a sign of judgment. Speaking in tongues or in languages may also be done in the church, if there are (Jewish) unbelievers who speak another language, but an interpreter must be present, because the church must receive upbuilding. Only the content builds up the church (1Cor 14:20-28).

The LORD has offered His people rest and repose, but they have no ears (Isa 28:12; Isa 30:15). Therefore, they will be forced to bow to orders and lines in all kinds of fields in submission to an enemy who knows no compassion at all (Isa 28:13). They will simply continue with their outer religion and fall (cf. Zec 14:2).